Rear-curtain-operator device



March 4, 1930.

G. J. WRIGHT REAR CURTAIN OPERATOR DEVICE Filed 00%. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Shea: 1

Z Sheets-Sheet Fina-in:

March 4, 1930.

AT'HIIRNEL;

Patented Mar. 4, 1930 UNITED STATES GEORGE J". WRIGHT, F BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS REAR-CURTAIN-OPERATOR DEVICE Application filed October 25, 1929. Serial No. 402,346.

The present invention which is an improvement on that disclosed in my application Ser. No. 306,846, filed September 19, 1928 has for its object the provision of a. device located within convenient reach of the driver of a motor vehicle for raising and lowering the rear curtain of such vehicle, and more especially the provision of an adjustable means for limiting the travel of the curtain to substan- 1 tially the vertical dimension of the automobile rear window in order to prevent the overrunning of the curtain in either direction.

With the foregoing object in view, my invention contemplates the use of a flexible drive shaft coupled at one end to the curtain roller and having actuating means at its other end located within convenient reach of the driver, together with a threaded stud rotatable with 1 said shaft and carrying a nut mounted thereon for longitudinal but not rotary movement, and means adjustable longitudinally of said stud for limiting the movement of said nut. I

My invention in its preferred form comprises a barrel constructed and arranged for attachment to the automobile at a point near the driver, and having a pair of co-operating bevel gears mounted therein, one of which is rigidly connected with the flexible shaft and the other provided with a crank handle, said barrel being closed at one end by a nut which acts as a stop to limit the longitudinal movement of a nut having threaded engagement with a stud rotatable with the shaft.

One embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the interior of a two-seated automobile provided with my improved rear-curtain operating-device Figure 2 is a plan view;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the coupling means employed in the present instance;

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

In the particular drawings selected for more fully disclosing the principle of my invention, 10 is a curtain roller having a curtain 11 wound thereon and mounted in the brackets 12, 12, the curtain being guided in its travel by the rings 13, 13 which move along the cords 14, 14 stretched parallel to the sides of the window. A flexible shaft 15 is attached to the trunnion 16 having its bearing in one of the brackets 12 and provided with pins 17 extending from the front plate 18 thereof and taking into apertures in the end plate 19 0f the curtain roller. At the other end of the shaft suitable actuating means are provided, together with an adjustable stop mechanism for limiting the rotation of said shaft and consequently the travel of the curtain.

In the present instance a barrel 19 is arranged for attachment to the automobile at a point near the driver by means of the feet 20, 20,an'd has a pair of bevel gears 21,22 mounted therein. The flexible shaft is rigidly connected to the gear 21 and a hand-crank 23 is provided for rotating the gear 22. A threaded stud 24 is rigidly connected with the gear 21 and mounted thereon, and in threaded engagement therewith, is the nut 25 having a longitudinal slot 26 which receives the pin 27 whereby rotary movement of said nut is prevented.

In the particular embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the means employed for limiting the rotation of the flexible shaft, and consequently the vertical travel of the curtain, is the nut 28 threaded to the end of the barrel and arranged to limit the longitudinal movement of the nut 25.

Assuming that clockwise rotation of the crank-handle will unroll the curtain, the handle is rotated to its extreme counter-clockwise position at which the nut 25 abuts the collar 29 of the gear 21, the curtain is then rolled up by hand to uncover the window, the flexible shaft coupled to the curtain roller, and the brackets 12 secured in position. The crank is thenturned clockwise until the curtain is unrolled sufficiently to cover the window, whereu on the stop 28 is turned until it abuts the rig t-hand face of said nut. After this adjustment has been made, the drlver may roll the curtain up or down by turning the crank counterclockwise or clockwise, respectively, and the travel of the curtain will be limited to the height of the window without overrunning in eitherdirection.

Having thus described an illustrative embodiment of my invention without however limiting the same thereto, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An automobile rear-curtain operating device comprising in combination a rear window curtain roller, a flexible drive shaft, a coupling between one end of said shaft and said roller, a threaded stud rotatable with said shaft, a nut having threaded engagement with said stud, means for preventing rotary.

. movement of said nut, adjustable means for limiting the longitudinal movement of said nut and means for rotating said shaft.

2. An automobile rear-curtain operating device comprising in combination a rear window curtain roller, a flexible drive shaft, a coupling between one end of said shaft and said roller, a gear rigidly connected to said shaft at the other end thereof-for imparting rotation thereto, a threaded stud rotatable with said gear, a nut having threaded engagement with said stud, means for preventing rotary movement of said nut, adjustable means for limiting the longitudinal movement of said nut, a gear meshing with the first mentioned gear, and means for actuating the gearlast mentioned.

3. An automobile rear-curtain operatingdevice comprising in combination a rear window curtain roller, a flexible drive shaft, a coupling between one end of said shaft and said roller, a barrel constructed and arranged for attachment to the automobile at a point within convenient reach of the driver, a pair of co-operating bevel gears mounted in said barrel, meansconnecting said shaft to 0115;, of said gears, means-for actuating the other of said gears, a threaded stud rotatable with said shaft, a nut having threaded engagement with said stud, said nut being provided with a longitudinal slot, a pin in said barrel extending into said slot, and a nut having threaded engagement with one end of said barrel and constructed and arranged to limit the longitudinal movement of said nut.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 23rd day of October,

GEORGE J. WRIGHT. 

